Axon-Carrying Dendrites
Visualizations of likely axon-carrying dendrites in the Layer 2/3 serial EM volume
Visualizations
Case 1
View in neuroglancer.
This reconstruction was made using the synapse_visualizer.ipynb
notebook. The post-synaptic sites (on the dendrites) are shown in
red and the pre-synaptic sites (on the presumtive axon) are shown in
green for cellid 648518346349536971.
Pre- and post-synaptic sites on the axonal and dendritic processes for cellid 648518346349536971
Raw Electron Micrographs show it is likely not a segmentation error
Review of the raw EM images, the presumptive axonal process is continuous with the dendrite and does not appear to be a segmentation error.
EM view of axon-carrying dendrite for cellid 648518346349536971
Case 2
View in Neuroglancer
This is another potential axon-carrying dendrite for cellid 648518346349536971. This is likely an L5 or L6 pyramidal neuron from a deeper layer below the Layer 2/3 volume.
Pre- and post-synaptic sites on the axonal and dendritic processes for cellid 648518346342793912
Raw Electron Micrographs show it is likely not a segmentation error
Review of the raw EM images, the presumptive axonal process is continuous with the dendrite and does not appear to be a segmentation error.
EM view of axon-carrying dendrite for cellid 648518346342793912
Case 3
View in Neuroglancer.
3D reconstruction of bipolar inhibitory neuron withaxon-carrying dendrite. Pre-synaptic sites shown in green and post-synaptic sites shown in red.
3D reconstruction of bipolar inhibitory neuron withaxon-carrying dendrite.
Neuroglancer view of bipolar neuron with an axon-carrying dendrite.
Neuroglancer view of bipolar neuron with an axon-carrying dendrite
Wahle et al, ELife 2022
Axon-carrying dendrites (AcD) are not uncommon in rodents, with estimated 10-21% of pyramidal neurons having AcDs. See their paper in eLife entitled Neocortical pyramidal neurons with axons emerging from dendrites are frequent in non-primates, but rare in monkey and human for more details.